Kicking bad habits

[dgo1212]

Yesterday I did a days training in preparation for my bike test, mod 1 is booked for next week, didn't go well .Instructor says my riding is pretty good however I've picked up a few bad habits that will cost me my test if I don't kick them, apparently this is because I have done my cbt 4 times and never took my test.My biggest problem is the lifesaver, I tend to do it as I set off rather than before, and I occasionally change up gears without clutch and only use 2 fingers to brake, I try my best not to do these things and start off quite well but end up slipping back into the habit in no time, and to top it off I rode through a stop sign as I didn't notice the 12ft high giant red 50p or the 2 foot painted letters on the floor, I just looked for traffic and rode through as it appeared safe.

Instructor recommends I have at least 2 more training days and book my mod 2 for the same day as my mod 1 if they have a slot, this is so I do my training and test on consecutive days and he insists I don't ride my bike in between.

Any ideas on kicking these habits as I can't have my instructor follow and shout at me every time I do something wrong and I'm now worried about failing my test, I was so confident I would pass I wasn't even going to have any training but now that confidence has long gone

[Jodie]

It is a gamble doing your Mod 2 the same day cos if you forget your lifesavers on Mod 1 they will fail you and that's £80 quid lost.

I did a day training before Mod 1 then a day before Mod 2 which worked out fine for me.

It's up to you but from reading that I'd plan on getting through Mod 1 first.

Good luck

[dgo1212]

[Teflon-Mike]

OK, life savers and shoulder checks.
A Shoulder Check or Rear-Observation is a full 180 rearward look behind you to check for traffic or other hazards BEFORE doing a manouver.....Turn head, chin to shoulder to be sure its seen as a propper shoulder-check.
A life saver is a 'safety glance' DURING a manouver, to check for any change in circumstances, or other hazards. To be sure its seen as a life-saver not a sloppy shoulder check, or mirror check, move head deliberately past the mirror but not as far as your shoulder.
Only way to drill it is to PRACTICE PRACTICE and PRACTICE...
Shoudler Before, Life-Save during....
Clutchless.... hmm... no biggie, but could be percieved as 'sloppy' if spotted, but of smooth enough possibly wont be noticed.
Two finder praking and not using rear brake, will be being looked for...
But as long as manouvers are under control, not major faults.
ALL I can suggest really is you need to be a bit more conciouse in THINKING about what you are doing, rather than relying on your sub-conciouse, which is ahet you have learned to do riding so long...
But, you mustn't 'over-think' or you will not perform as you really ride, and you'll let nerves get the beter of you panicking about it....
Shoulder-Checks and life-savers, are important, and a bit of discipline well worth getting sorted not just for the test, but every day riding, two finger braking and clutchless... I'd not be so worried about.
end of the day, practice, try thinking your ride a bit more, practice some more, then think sod it..... you ride how you ride, they'll pass you or they wont.... and yes, they are looking for you doing it 'right' and points of technique, BUT mostly whether you are safe and considerate, and aware of everything around you..... like fucking stop signs meaning STOP not give way... plonker!
Its just a bit of showman-ship... DEMONSTRATING doing it rather than just doing it....
Think about your ride as if YOU were the instructor trying to show a newbie what to do...... rather than what your doing and what he expects, or what you should be doing.... just make everything that bit more 'deliberate' and you should do fine.
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[Jodie]

[N cee thirty]

hmm is the instructer doing there job properly ?

i didn't do hardly any,then after a nice enjoyable day of training i got them to pretty much stick in my mind and do them every time i turn a corner/pull away etc
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[dgo1212]

regarding the shoulder checks the majority of them are ok it's when setting off at traffic lights and straight ahead junctions I tend to look as I start moving, as for the stop sign, fuck knows what I was thinking have gone through that same junction hundreds of times

[dgo1212]

[N cee thirty]

well fair enough if you enjoy getting shouted at to learn.

listen carefully to what he tells you do and do it.
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Suntan Sid]

[dgo1212]

yes this shits for real, apparently I should use all four fingers when braking, and not using the clutch going up gears apparently damages bikes-utter bollox as you pointed out.

What makes it worse is when reading magazines for riding tips they often tell you to apply only 2 fingers to the brake lever to avoid over braking, and also to use clutchless upward gear changes in the wet(though I never understood why this was)

[Suntan Sid]

[Syris D Indomitable]

MOD 1 will be easy, don't forget the life savers before performing any manoeuvre even though you are on a car park. They will test you for this, I.E say after the controlled ride at walking speed the examiner will explain the speed swerve test, then say right off you go. “DON'T FORGET THE LIFE SAVER OVER BOTH SHOULDERS” as with the U turn RIGHT SHOULDER CHECK BEHIND YOU and with the bike handling reverse manoeuvre BOTH SHOULDERS BEHIND YOU!...ETC. OTHER STUFF IS JUST 90 DEGREE SHOULDER CHECK

I passed the MOD 2 on an Aprilia RS 125, this has to be the hardest bike to pass your test in terms of life savers and arm ache. Your facing the floor almost having too look to the side and behind you.
Anyway what they are looking for is you ability to envisage with forethought what the traffic ahead is about to do before making your life saver, they are looking at your pre-emptive vision and awareness. If you make a life saver to early and you haven’t judge correctly what the traffic ahead is going to do which sometimes happens, just make another life saver before you set off, and more importantly if your not positioned correctly at a junction the examiner will fill in the gap you should have filled to see, if when you make your life saver, you are actually looking back at the the gap you just left at the junction. He/she will be looking at your eyes.
Also watch for the stop signs and stop, don't coast at junctions performing balancing acts which have stop signs, then set off when the junction is clear. I did this and they failed me for it the first time. I didn't technically put my foot down.
And obviously watch for people crossing any junction, don't just pull out even thought the junction is free of traffic, people have failed for this believe it or not even when they slowed down or stopped in the midst of the junction to let them cross. Watch for this is built up areas.

[evoboy]

I did my test using 2 fingers on the brake and clutchless upshifting...

Needless to say i passed....
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[outlaw]

iv all ways used 2 finger in normal situation you can soon get em all on there in a un planed stoppy when so twat finaly decids to pull out and try to wipe you out

as for the cluchless up shifting with his coment that it will damge bike sound like his knowlege is a good few years out of sink

i think alot of intrutors do have some set idears like with cars they all ways tell you to feed wheel and not slip it back whenyou straten up

the examiners cant fail you for that with cars and wont

thats why i gave with when i wanted my car licence one twat told me to go round a tight blind bend down hill in 4th gear in car

i told if he wanted to try it id walk and meet him at other side
after that i just brourt a car and took the test in me own car

thats whay now i want to do a das i rang every traing school for a chat

out about 20 i shortisted to two places
rest eather seemed to be after as much cash out of you as posible or seemed compleat knobers

one tryed to get me to pay for and extra day just to ride round where test when the rote aint set for mod 2

i said dont think so point it out on the map and id look around it in car to know roads

as iv rode years most wanted to book a preset long couase

best one recond we do it in 3-4 max and he sort me out another day for traing and retest if i fail a mod for 25 quid
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[Rogerborg]

A late (but not missed) rear observation is likely to be a minor unless you cause another road use to take avoiding action. It'll get you killed though. Fix it.

Gearchange and braking technique is at most a minor (as long as you're in control). Don't sweat it.

The missed stop is a test fail. Don't beat yourself up over it - you were concentrating on the actual road, not on the signs or the instructor, which is ultimately the right thing to do. You'll just need to raise your game a bit for the test.

So you know what you need to do: get on with doing it yourself. You don't have an instructor with you before, during or after your test, so you need to be safe on your own. If money is an issue, I wouldn't bother getting more instruction before your test - you can't pass during a training session. But I'd recommend more training after you pass: BikeSafe, IAM, RoSPA, DSA Enhanced Rider.

Best of luck, and make sure you watch the DSA videos on YouTube - they're actually quite helpful.
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[kingsknight]

YouTube helped me pass my test. Also I used to do a "traffic light system" before setting off.

RED - Apply the rear back brake ( RED brake light)

YELLOW - left to right safety check ( like the YELLOW sun rising and setting)

GREEN - Move off softly and safely ( GREEN is safe GREEN is go)

I made a reminder card and stuck it on my bike and went out riding for a few hours just stopping and starting to drum the life savers back into me,

Remember life savers at moving off, roundabouts (right life saver entering the roundabout and left life saver exiting the roundabout), changing lane.

This may sound really silly but I passed my test using that system. Also I done a left and right life savers at all times on my test!
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[fiveus]

Examiners also like to see your brake lights showing as soon as you see roundabouts and junctions.Just a little touch of the rear will do.Until you need to stop or slow properly.

[G]

Were it me, I would continue riding, but be very careful about doing everything absolutely correctly.
Mentally chastise your self when you doing something wrong.

Was practicing for my truck test in my own vehicle a while ago and I was quite aware of all the things I was doing wrong - didn't need to pay someone to shout at me.

Try and slow it all down a bit if you can - make sure you THINK before every action.
So, going to change lane, STOP (not the bike, just your actions )... think about the official sequence, then do it.

[Syris D Indomitable]

[colin1]

[Davie J]

2 finger braking is a habit of mine as well.

CBT instructor was constantly on me about it and I kept forgetting as it was all slow manoeuvres at the time. At speed on the road I do normally use all of them tho.

Maybe it depends on the bike. I was on a KX250 years ago that I swear would've needed 14 fingers on your right hand just to slow down a wee bit.
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